Two's Company Three's a Crowd
by huddyaimee
Summary: Another take on the 'Cuddy has secret kids' plotline. House meets his daughter for the first time and wants to be a part of her life, much to the dissaproval of Cuddy. HUDDY.
1. Chapter 1

**starting a new fic peoples…its called two's company threes a crowd…umm, it came to me after reading two similar stories…im trying not to make them exactly like the others, so sorry if it seems I am stealing your idea…yeah…so here's chapter one…read and review (those on fp, please rate!)**

**a thanks is going out to author Iane Casey for being my beta reader for this!!! THANK YOU!!!!!**

****huddyaimee****

Two's Company - Three's a Crowd  
-Chapter 1-

House sat in his office chair not really doing anything other than staring into space with his feet propped up on his desk. He had recently solved the case of a man who had, had a tumor behind his eye; it was an easy and uninteresting case until the man had complications after surgery. But all had been done to add more years to the man's life, and now he was told he would be discharged in a few days.

Now, the matter of clinic duty was bugging House. He only had two more hours to do for the rest of the week but he was refusing to do it. He knew that within minutes his boss would march down the corridor in her tight shirt and skirt combo, sporting her hospital renowned cleavage that caught every man's undivided attention; she would then storm into his office and have a big rant about how he had to do clinic 'or else.' House would then [hope like hell that her rant lasted for two hours so he couldn't do his clinic duty] hobble down to the clinic and sit in an exam room doing nothing.

As if reading his mind, right on schedule, Lisa Cuddy came marching down the nearly deserted corridor with a look of determination and frustration masking her face. His door was flung inward on its hinges as she stood in front of his desk with her hands on her hips. House removed his feet from the desk and pulled himself closer to it as if he were interested in what she had to say.  
"Ah, doctor Cuddy. What brings you to my office today?"  
"Clinic – now," she replied firmly.  
House put a hand to his chest as if he were genuinely offended, "Why, that's no way to talk to an employee. What happened to manners?"  
Cuddy glared at him before rolling her eyes. She shifted her weight on her left foot and sighed, "Doctor House, would you be as kind as to go down to the clinic and do your remaining hours?"  
"Now that you mention it, I actually have better things to be doing."  
"House –"but she was cut off by her phone vibrating violently. She looked embarrassed as House watched her put her hand down her shirt to retrieve the phone; he was highly amused.  
"Shut up," she hissed before answering the phone, "Lisa Cuddy," there was a long pause, "Why are you here? You know you can't be!"  
She looked at House who was interested and highly curious. Cuddy left the office and headed down the corridor for the elevator. House followed her.  
"What happened?!" Cuddy nearly shrieked before another pause. "Okay, I'll be right there. Love you – bye."  
House quickly darted behind a small plant, pretending to hide from Cuddy as she turned her head to look at him.

"Clinic," she told him firmly.  
"No lecture?"  
"Now, House!" Cuddy told him, more than frustrated now.  
"But mooomm!" House whined.  
"No buts; get down there now!"

"Aww."

**huddyaimee**

Cuddy had driven home as fast as she could and when she got there, she saw the teenaged girl sitting on the porch steps with a sports bag. Cuddy jumped out of the car quickly.  
"Hey," Cuddy greeted, "We better get in quick. I guarantee you he followed me."  
"Why can't you just tell him?" the girl asked as Cuddy unlocked the front door.  
"He can barely take responsibility for himself, let alone you," Cuddy said, ushering the girl in and closing the door behind them. Her ears picked up when she heard the low hums of a motorbike getting closer. "Get upstairs, now!" Cuddy told her.  
The girl sprinted up the stairs and went and lay on Cuddy's bed, reading a teen magazine. She could tell the motorbike was right out side as the engine cut off.  
A knock on the door startled Cuddy, who quickly composed herself. She opened the door to see, none other than, House.  
"I thought I told you to go and do your clinic duty?" Cuddy told him, more than irritated that he had to satisfy his curiosity.  
"Something's up and I want to know what," he said, completely ignoring Cuddy.  
"You don't need to know everything," Cuddy told him.  
"When it involves you, Jimmy and the ducklings, yeah I do," House told her.  
"Go back –"but she was cut off when the thump of a bag upstairs got both her and House's attention.  
House smirked before making noises that would resemble leaving. When he shut the door he heard someone call out, "Mom, can I come down now!?"  
Cuddy slapped her hand to her forehead, not daring to look at House's reaction.  
"Mom?" he asked.

**huddyaimee**

After a minute of brutal pain, House was at the top of the staircase and he immediately made a bee-line for Cuddy's room. He stood in the door way, mouth open wide. On the bed lay the girl of around 15 or 16 who was the spitting image of Cuddy except for the eyes. They were not a grey like her mother's, but a bright blue who House could only guess where her fathers.  
The girl looked up, "Hi, I'm Kirstin, who are you?"  
"I'm Greg House," House answered almost politely.  
Kirstin rolled from her stomach and onto her back and squealed with excitement.  
"Are you – okay?" House asked her.  
She sighed, coming down from her high, "Mom – is this him?"  
Cuddy looked at her daughter from behind House in the door way. Cuddy nodded and House looked slightly confused. Kirstin saw this look and raised herself from the bed and went and embraced House.  
"You're my dad," she said into his chest.  
House looked down at the dark haired girl hugging him, "I-I-I'm w-hhh-at?" he stuttered in absolute shock and confusion.  
"You're my dad," Kirstin repeated.  
House spun his head to look at Cuddy, his eyes telling her to talk.  
"I can explain."  
"I'm sure you can."

**huddyaimee**

**please tell me what you think…I have two more chappies that just need to be typed up…**

**xxx**


	2. Chapter 2

**sorry about the wait…I had exam week and I had to send it off to my beta who gave me some suggestions, so it came back and then went back again…so here it is…chapter 2…please review!!! I'll try not have a big ass wait between the next chappies… (well I'll try) thanks to my beta – Iane Casey!!!!**

Two's Company - Three's a Crowd  
-Chapter 2-

Cuddy had ordered Kirstin to unpack her stuff, put it into the spare room and wait for her return. House sat on Cuddy's couch impatiently. Every few minutes, House would look around in hopes that he'd see Cuddy ready to explain this to him, but she was upstairs having a conversation with their daughter.

"What happened?" Cuddy asked as she sat on the end of the spare bed.

Kirstin broke down in tears. "He raped me, mom, he RAPED ME!"

"Who, when, where, why?" Cuddy asked scared that her daughter had ran because of what someone had done to her.

"We were at the pub –"she started.

Cuddy was beyond shocked. "You're sixteen, Kirstin. Sixteen!"

"Just let me explain!" Kirstin yelled.

Cuddy nodded her head and tried to keep herself composed.

"Rob," Cuddy looked at her confused and Kirstin explained. "My boyfriend and I were at his brother's twenty-first. Rob got dragged off to partake in a drinking competition and his brother brought me a drink. I didn't think much of it then next thing you know…" but Kirstin couldn't continue when she was over come by another flood of tears.

House became curious after he heard the yells of the two females upstairs. He appeared in the doorway to find Cuddy in an angered state and Kirstin in tears.

"What's wrong?" House asked, genuinely concerned.

"It's none of your business," Cuddy snapped.

"It is when she is my daughter," he bit back.

"And you ran off. You never knew I was pregnant. I was a single mom who had career aspirations!"

"Well I'm sorry if –"House started saying in his sarcastic tone.

"SHUT UP!" Kirstin yelled. "Mom, just tell him. If you don't, I will."

Cuddy sighed. "She was raped, House, raped."

"Who did?" he asked.

"My boyfriends' brother," Kirstin replied.

"When?"

"The other night," Kirstin replied.

"Why?"

"I don't know!" Kirstin shouted back, angered at such dumb question. "How would I know why he spiked my drink?!"

"Kirstin, calm down; House, shut up," Cuddy intervened.

"What?!" he asked defensively. "I find out she's my daughter, and now I'm not allowed to care?"

"That's the problem, House. You don't care. You never have and never will."

"Yeah, I do have my sarcastic remarks and cynical persona, but I do know how to care," House answered a bit hurt that Cuddy thought he doesn't give a damn.

"Everybody lies," Cuddy muttered.

"And nobody lies twenty-four seven. I want to try and change my life. I don't like being miserable," but House shut his mouth rather fast when he realised that he had just opened up and made himself vulnerable.

"Bullshit. This is just another one of your sick ways of trying to get into my pants," Cuddy told him, wanting to trust that House actually cared but stopped herself before she did.

House gestured towards Kirstin. "By the looks of it, I've already gotten in your pants."

"Mom, dad, stop it." Kirstin said and she watched as House flinched at the use of the word 'dad'. "I have been without a father figure for my whole life, at least give him a chance, mom." Kirstin pleaded.

Cuddy sighed. She knew Kirstin was right. "Are you sure, House?" she asked him. "I don't want you having doubts, backing out and hurting her."

"If I get to play daddy, does that mean I get to sleep with mommy?" House asked, bobbing his eyebrows suggestively.

Kirstin smiled and nearly let a giggle escape.

"No, House," Cuddy said sternly.

"But, moooommmm!"

Cuddy changed the subject. "I thought we were dealing with _our_ daughter?"

**huddyaimee**

Three hours had passed and House and Cuddy had gathered sufficient information to call the police about Kirstin's rape. Tomorrow she was to head down to the station to give her statement.

Cuddy had warmed, a little, to the thought that she wouldn't be alone in raising Kirstin anymore. But she was still worried that House would suddenly retreat into his own world once the going gets tough.

"Mom, can dad stay for dinner?" Kirstin begged.

"Umm – I don't know," Cuddy replied unsurely.

"Please, mom? You are the one who keeps going on about how in love you are with him." Kirstin said with a devious smile.

"Shh," Cuddy hissed as House gave her a questioning look.

"How in love you are with him, eh?" he asked seductively.

"Go fuck yourself," Cuddy cursed.

"I may be a big man, but let me tell you right now; even I can't do that," House replied with his trademark smirk.

"Too much information, House," her face scrunched up in disgust.

"Can I make dinner!?" Kirstin yelled from the kitchen.

"What are you going to make?" Cuddy asked loudly for Kirstin to hear her.

"I found your frozen pizza bases," she answered back.

"Okay!"

House looked at Cuddy and asked her to sit. She complied.

"You said you'd explain," House said, looking down to the floor.

Cuddy sighed. "It happened in college, obviously. After that night, I forgot to get the morning after pill and I fell pregnant." She told him as if it weren't that big of a deal.

"Wow, I got you first time," House thought aloud.

Cuddy sent a glare at him before she finished. "You left me and I was stuck to raise her by myself."

"Why did you not tell me? Were you scared I'd do a runner?" House asked her.

"But you did do a runner. You left me behind at college." Cuddy reminded him, trying her hardest not to remember how hurt she was.

"Maybe I wouldn't have if you told me," House answered uncharacteristically.

Cuddy looked at House, her lips pursed, "I was afraid that you'd still leave me—us." She told him the truth. House just nodded, he was thinking whether if Cuddy told him if he would actually have ran.

"And that's it? What about all your IVF's?" House asked her after a few silent seconds.

"I don't know, I had all these phases where I'd want more and then I wouldn't so I'd abort and my miscarriage was caused by alcohol," Cuddy told him. She felt guilty about the miscarriages.

"So you thought I was a bad guy and decided to keep your _big_ secret from me?" House finally asked her and looked her in the eyes.

"Yeah," Cuddy replied in a sigh.

"Thanks," he said sarcastically.

Cuddy rolled her eyes and went to get up. As she did so, House reached out and wrapped his hand around her wrist. She looked back at him.

"Can you tell me some more about who she is?"

"She's like you. She loves music, highly arrogant, but can be really caring when she wants to be. She hates neat freaks," Cuddy said with a smile. She loved Kirstin more than anything.

"So she hates you?" House grinned playfully.

"No, House. Um, she grew up under the supervision of my parents and I, she is sixteen and I think that she is the most amazing girl anyone could wish for," she told him compassionately.

"Why did she grow up with your parents?"

Cuddy sighed. "Because I didn't think that you'd want to be a part of her life and so I didn't want you finding out about her."

"So you did what you thought was right?"

"Of course I did!" she nearly yelled. "Do you want to interrogate me any further?"

"Yep," he said with a smirk.

"What more do you want to know?"

"What are her grades like in school and stuff like that; does she have any plans for the future?"

"She's a straight A student and I have no idea what she wants to do,"

"Perhaps we should find out together?"

Cuddy rolled her eyes. "So you really do want to do this, huh?"

"Yep,"

"What do you guys want on you pizza!?" Kirstin yelled from the kitchen.

House grabbed his cane and made his way to the kitchen. He was greeted with an assortment of vegetarian foods.

"Lots of cheese," he said to Kirstin.

Kirstin put some cheese on.

"NO! MORE CHEESE!" he complained. "Gosh, you're my offspring,"

Cuddy stood in the doorway and watched as Kirstin and House shared mindless words which, translated into House lingo, is bonding.


	3. Chapter 3

Two's Company - Three's a Crowd  
-Chapter 3-

_3 Weeks Later_

Cuddy had allowed Kirstin to stay with her permanently now that House knew about her. She had recently taken a week off to renovate the spare room with her daughter. Kirstin had opted for an off white with a lime green feature wall. House had given her a bunch of band posters to stick up around her room; much to Cuddy's disapproval.

On the subject of Kirstin's rape, Rob's brother had been sentenced for three years on the charges of rape and purchasing alcohol for minors. Rob had moved into an apartment near by when he heard about the residency at Cuddy's. Kirstin had also been taken off by her mother for STI tests and pregnancy tests, all of which had come back negative.

House had become a frequent visitor to the Cuddy residence, and although he was still that stubborn ass, his and Cuddy's relationship had slowly warmed.

Today House had come around to have a "jammin'" session with Kirstin; he had only just recently discovered that she also played the piano as well as the drums.

"Cuddy actually let you?" he asked her.

"Yeah, she said it was good for the both of us," Kirstin shrugged.

"Who, you and Cuddy?"

"Yeah."

"Did she explain why?"

"Something to do with you, I dunno the details."

House mulled it over before staring at his daughter with a glint in his eyes. "Shove over, kiddo,"

Kirstin moved over and allowed House onto the chair in front of her keyboard. She watched with interest as he began caressing the plastic keys and her ears perked up at the unfamiliar tune. She was amazed as she realised what a poetic side he had. He was so zoned out in his music that he didn't hear Kirstin begin humming along or notice that Cuddy was now standing in the doorway completely awestruck.

"It doesn't sound as good as what it does on my baby grand."

"What's it called?" Kirstin curiously asked.

"I haven't titled it yet. I wrote it for your mom," House shyly answered.

"That's sweet; has she heard it?" Kirstin asked, winking at Cuddy.

"Nah."

"Why not, it's beautiful."

"I don't know, I feel…embarrassed," House lowered his gaze.

"What is there to be embarrassed about; you are a gifted musician and a great doctor, dad," Kirstin assured him.

"She doesn't appreciate music like you or I do."

"Then why did she tell me to do music lessons?"

House just shrugged and kept on playing.

"What would you do if she did hear it?"

"I wouldn't admit anything to her; if you haven't noticed, I'm not one to express feelings," he told her the truth.

"You are not," she objected, "You've opened up to me!"

"Yeah, only because you understand me more than anyone else," he deflected.

"Why don't you open up?" she said.

"I don't like to hurt people I get close to because I get hurt, myself,"

"I know you'd never intentionally hurt mom, you like her,"

"No I don't!" he defended, turning a slight shade of pink which was almost invisible under the day's worth of stubble.

"You love her!?"

"I didn't say that," House quickly answered.

"But you know it's true, you're just afraid of getting too close. Mom told me the story with that Stacy chick."

"You've known me for three weeks and I must say, you know me quite well," he stated. "Does Cuddy talk about me often?"

"Yes," she answered nonchalantly.

Cuddy, who was still in the doorway, mentally slapped herself; she couldn't stand to watch this, it was too sensitive and embarrassing. She couldn't believe that he had written her a song and had tried ever so hard to deny his feelings for her, yet, Kirstin was able to see straight through him. She departed her position, at the doorway, for the safe confines of her room.

House pulled away from the keyboard, almost sensing as if Cuddy had left but of course he had no idea. He turned and looked straight at Kirstin with the glint in his eye that suggested 'I'm planning something.'

"Operation mommy," he stated.

"Yup," Kirstin agreed, with the same smile as House.

House stood and limped out the room to search the house. Kirstin, who already knew where Cuddy was, rolled on the floor and began commando crawling to her mothers room. House saw her and followed.

"HI MOM!" he shouted when he got to her door.

"Yeah, what he said," Kirstin agreed, standing up and pointing her thumb to him.

"And you guys are how old?" Cuddy asked dryly.

House and Kirstin looked at each other and shrugged.

"It won't fit, I'm too old," House said, attempting to count on his fingers and toes.

"Eww, I'm not touching my toes!" Kirstin protested.

"And claps for House; we can all tell that she's your daughter," Cuddy said.

"OI!" House and Kirstin moaned.

"C'mere," Cuddy said, slapping the empty space on her bed for Kirstin.

"Ooo, mommy's finally asking me to bed," House said excitedly.

"No, House,"

"Mooom," House whinged.

"Yeah, mom," Kirstin agreed.

"Fine," Cuddy said, sighing. "Only if you sit between us, Kirstin,"

On those words, House popped a couple vicodin and launched himself at the bed. Cuddy jumped away quickly and Kirstin laughed at her timid-ness. Cuddy glared at her and watched with horror as Kirstin also threw herself on the bed.

"Careful, you'll break my bed!" Cuddy scolded.

"No we won't," House clarified. "Now, you and I going at it might,"

Cuddy sent a glare towards House and she felt her cheeks burning in embarrassment.

"Mom, calm down," Kirstin said jokingly.

Cuddy felt her cheeks deepen in colour.

"Come here, woman," House said.

"I hate you," Cuddy said to Kirstin. "You're so much like you're father; incredibly annoying and persistent."

"But if I'm just like dad, then you love him too," Kirstin countered.

"Ooo, Cuddy's hot for me," House howled.

"I am not!" Cuddy denied, her voice rising slightly.

"What would you say if dad said he loved you?"

"Yeah!" House said in agreement.

"But he wouldn't," Cuddy immediately shot back, secretly wanting to admit it.

"Damn straight I wouldn't," House stated firmly.

"But if he did," Kirstin persisted.

"I don't know," Cuddy answered dumbly.

"I know!" House said excitedly.

"What?" Cuddy said rolling her eyes.

"She'd fuck me all night long," House said with a grin.

"Dad!" Kirstin said, slapping House in the arm.

"Cuddy, just come sit," House said again, allowing a genuine smile to cross his face.

Cuddy sighed and went and sat in the small space that House had left her. She was forced to lean on him so she wouldn't fall off the bed. Eventually she got used to the warmth, the safety and the smell; she felt complete.

Kirstin had dozed off before she fell off the bed, however, she didn't wake.

Cuddy looked up at House, asking him to move over and surprisingly, he did. Whilst he did, he pulled off his jacket and placed it over Kirstin and then pulled the bed's linen around him. Cuddy looked at him wide-eyed.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"Getting comfortable, look," he said, gesturing to the clock on the nightstand. "It's nearly beddy-bye time."

"You're not staying," Cuddy said.

"Why not?" House asked, hurt that she would say such a thing.

"I don't need you running amuck around my home."

"You want me to stay."

"No I don't." she lied.

"What if I do this?" he said, running his finger up her arm till he ran it under her chin and pulled so she would look at him straight in the eye.

"You're being nice; you want something," she stated, but her heart pounding in her chest.

"Yeah, I want to get into your pants, duh. I think we've had this conversation for the last twenty years," House stated, deflecting.

"See, you want something," Cuddy knowingly said.

"You are so oblivious, especially for a micromanager."

"How-" but before she could finish House had pulled her head towards his and captured her lips with his. It took a moment, but eventually Cuddy replied. House pulled away as soon as she did.

"You want me," he stated.

"I don –"

"Don't even finish that sentence. You kissed back," he nearly yelled.

Cuddy looked embarrassed. "I've wanted you for a long time, House."

"I know," he said flatly.

"See!?"

"See what!?" he yelled, anger now burning through his veins.

"This! Every time I open up you just brush it off; why can't you just be normal!?"

"You know me, Cuddy. Just accept it and move on," House answered as if it was no big deal.

"No, House. You fear happiness, commitment and rejection; all of those lead to one thing, a relationship!"

"I only fear it because I hurt others."

"You don't know how things will turn out, you're not God.""

"Now that isn't true," he said flexing his muscles. "I am God."

"Don't change the subject," Cuddy told him.

"Look, listen to yourself, you're throwing yourself at me! You're pressuring me to have something with you. I'm not one of your internet dates!"

Kirstin had woken up and had heard the whole argument. She felt sorry for her mother.

"No, House, you're not!" Cuddy yelled, now in tears. "You are an ass but I like – no – I LOVE that! I'm only throwing myself at you because I have waited so long to have you again but if this is how you act with everyone, well you can get the fuck out of my house and leave Kirstin and me alone!"

**A/N:** Well, its taken a while, but here it is. Sorry about the serious delay. Thanks to Iane Casey again for reading and editing. Hopefully the next chapter won't be as far away.


	4. Chapter 4

Two's Company - Three's a Crowd  
-Chapter 4-

House arrived at the hospital early, only so he could avoid all contact with Cuddy. He headed straight to the clinic to do his hours. Wilson had seen him and caught up to him.

"Avoiding the boss?" he asked.

House continued and picked up a folder on the way past the nurses station.

"Avoiding me?" he tried again.

"No Jimmy – I just want to sit in an exam room with a folder and do nothing."

"You're actually working?"

"Is it a crime?"

"No, but –"

"'But' means forget everything I said before that."

"No it doesn't."

"It does now," House said, opening the door to exam room three. Wilson turned away muttering 'whatever, House.'

In the exam room, a young woman sat with her five year old son. House read the file aloud. "Thomas Weir, five years old, experiencing a sore throat and stomach aches; running a temperature of 38°C (101°F)." House looked up as the mother held Thomas' hand. "Have you been vomiting or have had sore ears?"

Thomas shook his head. House moved till he was in front of the boy's face. "Breathe on me."

"But mister, why?"

"Because I need to check something,"

Thomas' mother threw House a glare. The boy opened his mouth and breathed on House's face. House scrunched up his face, making Thomas giggle. The mother sat, slowly becoming impatient.

"So?" she asked.

"Open your mouth and say 'Ah'," House ordered as he pulled out a little light and a tongue depressor.

"Ahhh."

"Tonsillitis."

"Mister, what's that?"

"Tonsillitis is a bacterial infection of the throat which causes inflamed and puss covered tonsils," House explained.

"What's puss?" Thomas asked.

"Yucky white stuff," House told him, pulling a face.

"What do I need to get him to make him better?" the mother asked impatiently.

"A ten day dose of penicillin and by then, he should've cleared up," House said, handing over a prescription.

"Thank you, Mister," Thomas said. The mother smiled and mouthed 'thank you.'

House leaned back against the bench in the exam room, absentmindedly rubbing his thigh.

"Geeze," he muttered to himself. "Only another hour and a quarter to go,"

House made his way out to the nurse's station and handed over Thomas' file. Brenda scanned through and a look of shock marred her features. House looked at her, confused.

"You actually did one. What a change," she told him, her voice dripping with shock and sarcasm.

"Yeah, yeah," he said picking up another folder off the pile.

"You're avoiding Cuddy. What did you do this time?"

"It doesn't concern you."

"It does when you're actually working."

"First people complain when I don't do my hours and then they question my motives when I do, do them," he said, slightly frustrated. "People just need to make their minds up around here."

"Ooh, sorry Doctor House," she said sarcastically. He glared at her; called his next patient and retreated into an exam room.

***

"What happened to you two?" Wilson asked as he barged through Cuddy's office doors.

Cuddy jumped and nearly messed up her signature which was going onto a file. "What Wilson?" she huffed, putting down her pen and clasping her hands in front of her on the desk.

"House is actually working; what happened between you guys?"

"It doesn't concern you, Wilson," she said lazily, not wanting to enter into the conversation any further. "At least House is doing something productive for a change," she muttered

"Yeah, but he's mopier than ever," Wilson told her.

"I don't care," she said. "Now if you don't mind, I have work to do."

Wilson turned and left the office in a huff.

***

Cuddy walked in the door at about 7pm and was greeted by the smell of a vegetarian spaghetti bolognaise. She smiled as she was grateful to be home.

"Kirstin!" Cuddy called out.

"Yeah?!" came the reply.

"Did you make dinner?"

"Umm…Yeah," she said racing down the stairs. "You should go change."

"Why are you not in the kitchen?"

"It's, uh, simmering and I needed to shut my curtains," she tried covering up.

"Okay, just let me set the table," Cuddy said and was about to turn to the kitchen when Kirstin stopped her.

"Mom, I've got it," Kirstin said.

Cuddy pulled Kirstin into a hug and Kirstin had trouble controlling the tremors that rocked her body. When they parted from the embrace, Kirstin clapped her hands together and then ushered Cuddy away so she could continue with her devious plan.

***

Cuddy came down five minutes later to see the table laid for two; steaming dishes and a single glass of red wine marking the place settings. Cuddy noticed the red rose laid in front of what, she guessed, was her spot. Under the rose was a small card with neat writing over the top.

_I'm sorry._

"Kirstin, you coming?" Cuddy asked.

As she took her place at the table, none other than House had sat at the other end of the table. Cuddy's eyes and mouth opened.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, anger burning low in her stomach.

House looked up sincerely. "I'm apologising."

Cuddy looked down and away. He hadn't done anything wrong. Guilt tore at her. "No," she said, causing House to look at her more intently. "I should apologise."

"No, I was rude to you; I shouldn't have," House said, getting too nervous at how the night might end.

"And you wouldn't have said anything if I hadn't have thrown myself at you," Cuddy reasoned for him.

Kirstin was hidden behind the corner, listening into the conversation. Her heart thudded in her chest at how cute it was; how nice they could actually be to one another when truly in love. Cuddy and House ate their dinner in relevant silence apart from the odd "Yum," or "This is good." Kirstin came out twenty minutes later to clean up.

House leaned into Kirstin's ear when she walked past. "Thanks, kid,"

Cuddy grabbed her glass of wine and made her way into the lounge, yet, something felt different as she sat down on the cream couch. She looked around; it was still the same; the wallpaper, the bookshelf, the rug. Her eyes rested on the man in the doorway. It was him.

He walked into the room and sat next to her; close. So close that he could get a whiff of her scent. He loved it. He could tell that she was comfortable as they sat like that. She had first shivered when his heat invaded her spot, by now she rolled in it like a poor man would in millions of dollars. As House went to put his hand on his knee, he felt the electricity pulse up his arm when it made slight contact with her own.

"Do you wanna watch a movie?" House suggested when the silence became too awkward.

"What kind?"

"Well, I was thinking porn, but I'm pretty sure you're not into that stuff," he joked nervously. "I guess the next best thing would be a movie with lots of sex."

"House!" she said, trying to mask her playfulness.

Kirstin walked in. "How about something for all of us?" House and Cuddy just looked at Kirstin puzzled. "Titanic!" she suggested. "Dad, you get your nude Kate Winslet and minor sex scene, mom, you get your romance genre 'cause I know how much you love it, and I get my Leo fix!"

"It's a school night; you're not staying up till eleven," Cuddy scolded gently.

"Mom," Kirstin whined and then looked to House for help.

"Yeah, mom," House agreed.

Cuddy sighed and allowed Kirstin to get the D.V.D. and put it in the player whilst she got up and dragged her duvet into the lounge. House managed to get up and turn out the lights. Cuddy sat back down on the couch; House to her right and Kirstin, her left.

***

At the end of the movie, Kirstin had fallen asleep on the floor, slouched against the couch whilst Cuddy had spread herself along the couch and had rested her head on the pillow that House had on his lap. She felt complete. House was absentmindedly toying with her curls.

House leaned to her ear. "Boss lady has to go to sleep if she doesn't want to look like an old hag in the morning," he teased.

Cuddy glared at him and sat up, gently waking Kirstin as she went. Cuddy went upstairs, leaving House with the duvet and his thoughts. He had a plan.

House made his way upstairs and stopped just outside Cuddy's room. Her door was slightly ajar and he peered at her. She was stripped down to her underwear and House made the split-second decision to enter the room.

"House!" she shrieked.

"I thought I should bring it up," he said signalling to the duvet in his hands.

Cuddy snatched it from him and held it close to her body; protecting what modesty she had left. "Thanks," she said sarcastically before her eyes widened when House picked up her tank. "Put. It. Down." she said sternly.

House ignored her. "Arms up,"

"Wait - what - NO!" she protested but eventually gave in when he gave her a serious look. He gently slid the garment over her head and down her torso, allowing his fingers to graze the silk of her skin. When the clothing was on, he rested his hands on her hips and turned her to face him.

"Look at me," he told her but she pulled away when the look became too awkward. He put his fingers under her chin and forced her to look at him. He knew he wanted this as the lust built up in his blood. Her pupils dilated and her skin flushed. The moment House pressed his lips to hers seemed like an eternity.

"I've missed you, Lisa," he told her when they parted.

"I've missed you too," she admitted.


	5. Authors Note

Hey guys, this is just a quick authors note. Sorry I haven't been updating…I'm on holidays at the moment and mum won't let me update. I will, however, be returning to school next month and updates will start flowing again. I do want to see tons of reviews from older readers and especially new readers, they make my day!

Xx

Aimee


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